Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Escazu and Budapest

For one person, living is cheaper in Budapest: $1,619 a month against $1,933 in Escazu, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

94

Cost of Living Index in Escazu
Learn more

Escazu Living Index
79

Cost of Living Index in Budapest
Learn more

Budapest Living Index

Jump to prices

Escazu

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,933

/mo nomad

Budapest

🇭🇺 Hungary

$1,619

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Escazu and in Budapest

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Escazu and in Budapest actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,933 per month in Escazu vs $1,619 in Budapest, rent included.

Escazu $1,933
Budapest $1,619

A couple spends around $2,966 per month in Escazu vs $2,524 in Budapest, rent included.

Escazu $2,966
Budapest $2,524

A family of three spends $3,999 per month in Escazu vs $3,429 in Budapest, rent included.

Escazu $3,999
Budapest $3,429

Escazu costs about 19% more than Budapest, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Escazu and Budapest sit above the global median – Escazu by 43%, Budapest by 20%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 ₡5,486

$13.94 Ft 4,503

-12.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$62.1 ₡27.9K

$61.2 Ft 19.8K

1.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.48 ₡5,146

$10.19 Ft 3,291

12.66%

Cappuccino

$4.56 ₡2,045

$3.26 Ft 1,055

39.88%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 ₡1,218

$2.14 Ft 690

27.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ₡828

$1.78 Ft 577

3.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.36 ₡1,505

$3.71 Ft 1,198

-9.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.47 ₡2,006

$3.77 Ft 1,217

18.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 ₡1,040

$1.15 Ft 371

101.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 ₡1,397

$1.79 Ft 578

74.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.49 ₡1,117

$2.49 Ft 804

Eggs

$3.59 ₡1,611

$3.90 Ft 1,261

-7.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ₡4,757

$11.10 Ft 3,587

-4.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.22 ₡4,581

$6.62 Ft 2,139

54.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.94 ₡6,252

$14.69 Ft 4,745

-5.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 ₡2,301

$1.83 Ft 591

180.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 ₡726

$2.05 Ft 661

-20.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.16 ₡1,416

$2.37 Ft 765

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.07 ₡1,378

$3.90 Ft 1,260

-21.28%

Potato (1kg)

$3.79 ₡1,698

$0.99 Ft 320

282.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.73 ₡1,674

$1.00 Ft 322

273.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 ₡465

$1.58 Ft 511

-34.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 ₡762

$0.67 Ft 216

153.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.53 ₡2,479

$7.96 Ft 2,572

-30.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.39 ₡8,249

$6.22 Ft 2,009

195.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.66 ₡745

$1.27 Ft 411

30.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 ₡1,202

$2.03 Ft 654

32.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.09 ₡491

$1.52 Ft 490

-28.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.02 Ft 9,053

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 ₡923

$3.31 Ft 1,070

-37.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 ₡704

$1.37 Ft 442

14.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.76 ₡3,927

$19.83 Ft 6,406

-55.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 ₡664

$1.82 Ft 589

-18.68%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.4K ₡10.1M

$29.8K Ft 9.6M

-24.77%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$35.2K ₡15.8M

$33.8K Ft 10.9M

4.06%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$94.6 ₡42.4K

$171 Ft 55.3K

-44.75%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.81 ₡13.4K

$23.51 Ft 7,596

26.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 ₡27.0K

$23.29 Ft 7,526

158.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$108 ₡48.6K

$67.5 Ft 21.8K

60.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.15 ₡4,550

$18.89 Ft 6,104

-46.27%

Cinema Ticket

$7.81 ₡3,502

$9.30 Ft 3,004

-16.02%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$457 ₡204.9K

$533 Ft 172.3K

-14.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ₡7.6M

$16.8K Ft 5.4M

0.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 ₡31.9K

$99.6 Ft 32.2K

-28.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.7 ₡25.0K

$43.49 Ft 14.0K

28.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$131 ₡58.6K

$110 Ft 35.7K

18.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 ₡58.4K

$119 Ft 38.4K

9.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 ₡373.9K

$830 Ft 268.3K

0.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$845 ₡378.8K

$622 Ft 200.9K

35.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,961 ₡879.3K

$1,594 Ft 514.9K

23.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,508 ₡676.4K

$1,170 Ft 378.1K

28.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,407 ₡630.8K

$5,832 Ft 1.9M

-75.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$972 ₡435.7K

$3,889 Ft 1.3M

-75.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,746 ₡782.8K

$1,651 Ft 533.4K

5.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.45

33.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Escazu: October 10, 2026

Last update for Budapest: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Escazu

$845 43.7%

Budapest

$622 38.4% 26.4% $223

Groceries & Markets

Escazu

$361 18.7%

Budapest

$258 15.9% 28.5% $103

Eating Out

Escazu

$231 12%

Budapest

$223 13.8% 3.5% $8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Escazu

$184 9.5%

Budapest

$218 13.5% 18.1% $33

Clothing & Footwear

Escazu

$174 9%

Budapest

$168 10.4% 3.9% $6.9

Sport & Entertainment

Escazu

$124 6.4%

Budapest

$86 5.3% 30.5% $38

Getting Around

Escazu

$14 * 0.7%

Budapest

$44 2.7% 210% $30

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $834 in Escazu versus $830 in Budapest. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 6% higher in Escazu, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Escazu versus $61.0 in Budapest. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $361 vs $258 – making Budapest the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇷 Escazu

🇭🇺 Budapest

🕒 Local time

06:26 6:26 AM

14:26 2:26 PM

8 h ahead of Escazu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

11,984

1,686,222 Capital

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

Hungarian Forint HUF Ft

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD

1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

HUF, USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

Hungarian Forint exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 323 HUF (1,000 HUF = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 363 HUF (1,000 HUF = 2.75 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Escazu Budapest 10,170 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Escazu
Budapest

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Escazu vs Budapest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Escazu is pricier by about 19%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,900 per month in Escazu and $2,428 in Budapest. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Budapest, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $62.0 in Escazu and $61.0 in Budapest. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% more in Escazu, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Budapest, where all-in costs run around $1,619, than in Escazu at $1,933. In Budapest it covers expenses comfortably, while in Escazu it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Budapest – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Budapest. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Escazu makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.